Apparatus and method for holding a cookie

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for holding a cookie includes a handle and a holder configured to hold a cookie to be dipped in a beverage. The holder includes a pair of retainer panels and a generally C-shaped clip. The C-shaped clip separates the pair of retainer panels and is adapted to hold the cookie between the panels. The handle is gripped and the cookie inserted into the holder such that the C-shaped clip resiliently bends around at least a portion of the cookie. The cookie is held by the holder and may be dipped into a beverage, such as milk.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the filing benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/498,799 filed on Jun. 20, 2011, which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for ahand held utensil for consuming food, and more particularly, to a handheld retainer for consuming cookies.

BACKGROUND

Cookies may be consumed, or otherwise eaten, in any variety of ways.However, dipping cookies in a beverage, such as milk, is a particularfavorite of the consuming public. Quite literally, generations of peoplehave been satisfying their sweet tooth by reaching into a cookiecontainer or package with one hand while reaching for a cold glass ofmilk with the other. Once in hand, the resulting consumption could be asunique as the people themselves.

Similarly well known are the unsavory consequences of both handling thecookie and dipping it into the beverage for consumption. Particles ofthe cookie, such as crumbs, routinely transfer from the cookie to thehands of the consumer. Once the crumbs stick to the hand, the consumermay inadvertently transfer the crumbs from the hand to clothing, body,or other areas of the surrounding environment preferably kept free ofcrumbs. In addition, dipping the cookie in the beverage often requiresthe consumer to physically dip the hand grasping the cookie into thebeverage. While this favorably soaks the cookie, the consumer mayundesirably drip, or otherwise spread, the milk to clothing, body, orother areas of the surrounding environment. Thus, the mess and resultingcleanup associated with eating a cookie deters many consumers fromengaging in this otherwise popular activity.

Moreover, some consumers physically lack the dexterity to manipulate acookie from the package, into the glass, and to the mouth in order toeat the cookie. Such a lack of required dexterity may be the result ofeither youth or physical handicap. In either case, these consumers areoften physically unable to satisfy their desire for cookies and milkwithout the assistance of another person.

There is a need for an apparatus and method for consuming cookies, suchas dipping cream filled cookies into a beverage for consumption, thataddresses present challenges and characteristics such as those discussedabove.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, the invention provides a handle and a holder attachedto the handle for holding a cookie to be dipped in a beverage. Theholder generally includes a first side retainer panel, a second sideretainer panel, and a generally C-shaped clip. The C-shaped clip and thefirst and second retainer panels are adapted to hold the cookie betweenthe panels so that the cookie may be dipped in the beverage.

In one aspect, the C-shaped clip includes a tab portion and an endportion. The tab portion is configured to resiliently bend outward toreceive the cookie and recoil inward to hold the cookie. The end portionis flared outward relative to the tab portion and is configured todirect the tab portion outward to hold the cookie.

In another embodiment, the apparatus for holding the cookie to be dippedin the beverage is used by gripping the handle with a hand and insertingthe cookie into an opening of the holder. Furthermore, the C-shaped clipis resiliently bent around at least a portion of the cookie so that thecookie is held between the first and second retainer panels.

Various additional objectives, advantages, and features of the inventionwill be appreciated from a review of the following detailed descriptionof the illustrative embodiments taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and,together with a general description of the invention given above, andthe detailed description given below, serve to explain the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cookie being inserted into anapparatus for holding a cookie.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cookie and apparatus of FIG. 1 beingdipped in a beverage.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIGS. 1-4, an embodiment of the apparatus 10 forholding a cookie 12 includes a handle 14 and a holder 16. The handle 14is affixed to the holder 16 such that the handle 14 and holder 16 areformed, or otherwise integrated, together from a single piece ofmaterial. According to a preferred embodiment, the single piece ofmaterial is a plastic, such as polypropylene. However, it will beappreciated that the handle 14 and holder 16 may be assembled from anynumber of materials, components, or manufacturing processes.

The handle 14 is ergonomically configured and includes a plurality ofgrooves 18 which provide comfortable positions into which a hand, andspecifically fingers, may rest while gripping the handle 14. Togenerally fit the hand of a wide variety of individuals, the handle 14is sized approximately 60 millimeters to 100 millimeters in length. Bysizing the handle appropriately with the plurality of grooves 18, thehandle 14 is generally adapted to be gripped with more friction andforce applied by the hand. Such grip may be of particular benefit toyoung children and individuals having a physical handicap by providingadditional ability to grip, and thus manipulate, the handle 14. Asshown, the plurality of grooves 18 is positioned along the length of twoedges of the handle 14. It will be appreciated; however, that anyfeatures for gripping the handle may be so used.

The holder 16 is generally configured to hold the cookie 12 as shown inFIG. 2. With reference to FIGS. 1-4, the holder 16 includes a C-shapedclip 20 and a first and second side retainer panels 22, 24. As shown,the C-shaped clip 20 and the first and second side retainer panels 22,24 are integrated; however, in the alternative, each may be separatelymanufactured and assembled to form the holder 16. The C-shaped clip 20is positioned such that the first side retainer panel 22 is separatedfrom the second side retainer panel 24 by the C-shaped clip 20. Morespecifically, the C-shaped clip 20 is sandwiched between the first andsecond C-shaped clip 20.

With respect to the first and second retainer panels 22, 24, each of thepanels 22, 24 is generally planar and semicircular in shape. Moreover,each of the panels 22, 24 include a plurality of apertures 26. Thereby,the first and second retainer panels 22, 24 are configured to receive,capture, and hold the cookie while manipulating the device 10 from apackage (not shown) and into a beverage 28, as shown in more detail inFIG. 2. In addition, the plurality of apertures 26 is adapted so thatthe beverage may more easily reach the entirety of the cookie being heldby the holder 16.

In addition to the first and second panels 22, 24, the C-shaped clip isfurther adapted to receive, capture, and hold the cookie 12. Moreparticularly, the C-shaped clip includes a base portion 30, first andsecond tab portions 32, 33 and first and second end portions 34, 35.

With reference to FIG. 3, the handle 14 is attached to the holder 16 atthe base portion 30. The tab portions 32, 33 are affixed to the baseportion 30 and extend from the base portion 30 forward of the first andsecond retainer panels 22, 24. Extending forward further, the C-shapedclip 20 terminates at the end portions 34, 35. Generally, the baseportion 30 and tab portions 32, 33 are C-shaped with the end portions34, 35 flared outward from the tab portion 32. It will be appreciatedthat multiple configurations of the C-shaped clip may be used in orderto hold the cookie as described herein.

The tab portions 32, 33 and end portions 34, 35 are configured toresiliently bend outward in order to receive the cookie 12. Once thecookie 12 is received, the tab portions 32, 33 and end portions 34, 35recoil to bias the cookie 12 against the base portion 20 and between thefirst and second retaining panels 22, 24. Thereby, the holder 16operatively holds the cookie 12. Furthermore, the end portions 34, 35are flared outward in order to further direct the tabs 32, 33 around atleast a portion of the cookie 12.

In addition, the C-shaped clip 20 and the first and second retainingpanels 22, 24 define an opening 37 adapted to receive the cookie 12.More specifically, the opening 37 has an approximate width between 7millimeters and 12 millimeters and an approximate unbiased length ofbetween 42 millimeters and 47 millimeters.

In order to use the apparatus 10 for holding the cookie 12, the consumergrips the handle 12 by hand so that the consumer may manipulate theapparatus 10. The cookie 12 is forcibly inserted into the opening 37, asindicated by arrow 36, such that the end portions 34, 35 directs thetabs 32, 33 around at least a portion of the cookie. With the cookie 12fully inserted into the opening 37, the cookie is biased against thebase portion 20 and further held by the retaining panels 22, 24.

The consumer further manipulates the apparatus 10 via the handle 14 bydipping the cookie 12 and holder 16 into the beverage 28 such that thehand gripping the handle 14 remains separate from the beverage 28, asindicated by arrow 38 in FIG. 2. With the hand free of the beverage 28,the consumer submerges the entire cookie and may fully soak thebeverage, preferably milk, into the cookie. Finally, the consumermanipulates the apparatus 10 holding the cookie 12 to the consumer'smouth for consumption.

While the present invention has been illustrated by the description ofone or more embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have beendescribed in considerable detail, they are not intended to restrict orin any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail.Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to thoseskilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is thereforenot limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methodand illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departuresmay be from such details without departing from the scope or spirit ofthe general inventive concept.

1. An apparatus for holding a cookie, which allows the cookie to bedipped in a beverage, comprising; a handle; and a holder attached tosaid handle, said holder including a first and second spaced sideretainer panel and a generally C-shaped clip, wherein said C-shaped clipseparates said panels and is adapted to hold the cookie between saidpanels.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said C-shaped clip includesa tab portion, said tab portion configured to resliently bend outward toreceive the cookie and recoil inward to hold the cookie.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 2 wherein said C-shaped clip further includes an endportion, said end portion flared outward relative to said tab portionand configured to direct said tab portion outward to hold the cookie. 4.The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second spaced sideretainers include an aperture.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein saidhandle includes a plurality of grooves being configured for handheldgrip.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said C-shaped clip and saidfirst and second spaced side retainer define an opening, said openingadapted to receive a cookie.
 7. The apparaus of claim 6 wherein saidopening has a width between 7 millimeters and 12 millimeters and anunbiased length between 42 millimeters and 47 millimeters.
 8. Anapparatus for holding a cookie, which allows the cookie to be dipped ina beverage, comprising; a first and second spaced side retainer panel;and a C-shaped clip having a tab portion, said tab portion configured toresliently bend outward to receive the cookie and recoil inward to holdthe cookie.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said C-shaped clipfurther includes an end portion, said end portion flared outwardrelative to said tab portion and configured to direct said tab portionoutward to hold the cookie.
 10. The method of using an apparatus forholding a cookie, which allows a cookie to be dipped in a beverage, theapparatus including a handle attached to a holder having a C-shaped clipand a first and second retainer panels, the C-shaped clip and first andsecond retainer panels defining an opening, the method comprising;gripping the handle with a hand; inserting the cookie into the opening;resiliently bending the C-shaped clip around at least a portion of thecookie; and holding the cookie between the first and second retainerpanels.
 11. The method of claim 10 further comprising gripping thecookie with the C-shaped clip.
 12. The method of claim 10 whereinC-shaped clip further includes a tab, the method further comprisingdirecting the C-shaped clip around at least a portion of the cookie withthe tab.
 13. The method of claim 10 further comprising dipping thecookie into the beverage such that the hand remains separate from thebeverage.
 14. The method of claim 13 further comprising submerging theentire cookie into the beverage.
 15. The method of claim 14 furthercomprising soaking the the beverage into the cookie.
 16. The method ofclaim 15 wherein the beverage is milk.